Discover the Professions within Ireland's 'Health and Social Care Professionals' Group
The Health and Social Care Professions (HSCP) group is the second largest clinical grouping of the healthcare workforce in Ireland, with 22 individual Health and Social Care Professions united under its banner. Let’s take a closer look at how this works…
The Purpose of the HSCP
All professions within the HSCP share the commonality that they provide interventions in therapeutic, rehabilitative, re-enablement, health and social care and diagnostic services. Members of the HSCP group work in all settings including acute, community, disability, specialist, mental health, primary care, residential and services for older persons.
The vision for each of the HSCP professions is to actively enhance people’s lives through the planning and delivery of high quality and innovative diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitation services. To achieve this, all professions within the group fulfil the following roles:
• They preserve or improve the health and wellbeing of others.
• They are responsible for the diagnosis, treatment or care of those who are injured, sick, disabled or infirm.
• They work to resolve personal, social or psychological problems – through guidance, counselling or otherwise.
• They provide care for those in need of protection, guidance or support.
According to the HSE Staff Census of October 2021, there is a total of 18,723 HSCPs employed by the HSE – a figure that represents 25% of the clinical workforce and 14% of the overall health services workforce.
What Professions Make Up the HSCP Group?
The HSE believes HSCPs are stronger together as a group, stronger working in partnership with service users and stronger working collaboratively with colleagues. The HSCP brings together the following disciplines:
Audiology – the study of hearing and balance within clinical science and technology.
Clinical Biochemistry – professionals working within clinical, scientific, quality, management and leadership roles.
Clinical Engineering– supporting and advancing patient care by applying engineering and managerial skills to healthcare technology.
Clinical Measurement Physiology – work within the area of diagnostics, carrying out and reporting on patient tests and initiating therapies.
Clinical Perfusion Science– the management of heart-lung machines and a patient’s physiological parameters during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) procedures.
Counselling and Psychotherapy – short-, medium- and long-term counselling and psychotherapy for adults with mild, moderate or complex psychological difficulties.
Dietetics – the assessment of specific nutritional requirements of populations or individuals.
Medical Physics– ensuring the application of physics to medicine in clinical, diagnostic and therapy treatments is safe and appropriate.
Medical Science – the diagnosis, reporting, managing, developing and overseeing of clinical services that underpin laboratory medicine.
Occupational Therapy– helping people do everyday things when faced with illness, injury, disability or challenging life events.
Optometry– the primary healthcare of the eye and visual system.
Orthoptics–the assessment, diagnosis and management of disorders of the eyes, vision and eye movements.
Phlebotomy – the practice of the drawing of blood for medical testing and donor purposes.
Physiotherapy – health profession concerned with restoring wellness to people following an injury, pain or disability.
Play Therapy– therapy for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties.
Podiatry– healthcare profession specialising in the management of disease and disorder of the lower limb and foot.
Psychology – focusing on the scientific study of people from a behavioural, emotional, psychological and health perspective.
Radiation Therapy – administration of radiation therapy to cancer patients.
Radiography– the use of imaging techniques to produce diagnostic images that aid the diagnosis of injury or disease.
Social Care Work– the purposeful planning and provision of care, protection, psychosocial support and advocacy in partnership with vulnerable individuals and groups.
Social Work – a profession that works with people as individuals, in families, in groups and communities to help improve wellbeing and outcomes.
Speech and Language Therapy – helping people with communication disorders as well as with Feeding, Eating, Drinking and Swallowing (FEDS) disorders to achieve maximum potential.
HSCPs and TTM
As a leading talent management company wholly dedicated to healthcare, we offer job opportunities for all HSCP professionals – including Temporary and Permanent positions. We have been awarded Tier 1 supplier status by the HSE for the provision of temporary Health & Social Care Professionals across all of Ireland. This means all professions listed above that make up the Health and Social Care Professionals Group have first choice of all Agency HSE shifts nationwide with TTM – combined with great flexibility for a better work-life balance.
HSCPs, TTM and Training
As an HSCP, TTM can also help you achieve your Continued Professional Development goals and obligations. We have our own training centre - TTM Training & Consultancy – which provides best-in-class Health and Social Care focused training throughout Ireland. You enjoy convenient, professionally delivered in-person, hybrid and online training courses, with a top-tier training team that includes a Clinical Manager with over 25 years’ experience in the care sector. All our courses have been developed by experienced professionals using premium-quality learning materials. You can learn more here.
